Ruger's wood grips from the past.

I was in a discussion elsewhere concerning the wood Ruger used in their grips for Single Action revolvers. On correspondent stated only walnut, then rosewood.

I have a couple pairs of Super Blackhawk grips that are goncalo alves grips, and Bill Hamm's treatise on Ruger grip frames pictures a grip panel of that wood also. I returned a Blackhawk to Ruger in the summer of 1987 to be fitted with a Super Blackhawk grip frame and grips, and the grip panels furnished were goncalo alves.

These made at the time Lett was making the grips.

Bob Wright

Aren't the current production rosewood grips laminated?

Current is a birch laminate (plywood). They just dye it "rosewood". Or silver-black on a few models.

That sounds right to me, they don't look like any rosewood I have ever seen.

Whatever the new grips are I don't like them! Cheap looking and way too thick!

^^
That's why I replace all my grips with stags.

Bob Wright said:

I was in a discussion elsewhere concerning the wood Ruger used in their grips for Single Action revolvers. On correspondent stated only walnut, then rosewood.

I have a couple pairs of Super Blackhawk grips that are goncalo alves grips, and Bill Hamm's treatise on Ruger grip frames pictures a grip panel of that wood also. I returned a Blackhawk to Ruger in the summer of 1987 to be fitted with a Super Blackhawk grip frame and grips, and the grip panels furnished were goncalo alves.

These made at the time Lett was making the grips.

Bob Wright

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Yes, sir.
I really like how Gonçalo Alves looks on an older plum finish -even if the grips & revolver didn't originate together.

I like their old walnut grips.

Mine look like very plain walnut on my 1977 Super Blackhawk.

I showed Mr. Wright (elsewhare) these Goncalo Alves from 1992...They came factory fresh on my Super Blackhawk:

Goncalo Alves was used for a short time in the mid 1980's. Then came walnut again in varying grades, sometimes even having blonde sapwood streaks in them. Then rosewood.
With Ruger's grip material it has always been about economy.
Lett started making Ruger's grips about late 1962. When Lett gave up the business, Hogue did some SA grips for a short time (really thick and often poor fitting) and then came the laminate grips. Not sure who is doing those today...maybe Ruger?
Chet15

I don't know if it means anything or not...But, all the single action revolvers on Ruger's web site do not have the Laminated grips on them. Hope they are going back to the classic walnut grips.

Boxhead said:

I like their old walnut grips.

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Sadly, legal old growth wood is hard to find and very expensive.

SPBhawk said:

I don't know if it means anything or not...But, all the single action revolvers on Ruger's web site do not have the Laminated grips on them. Hope they are going back to the classic walnut grips.

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The web site pictures are misleading. Current Ruger grips are made by the Altamont grip company and they only make laminiated grips. If Ruger was willing to pay extra they could make them out of solid wood but I do not see that happening any time soon.

Chet is correct (as usual) its has always been about economy and the lowest-cost bidder in the supply chain. With very very few exceptions. I believe I read the Buckeye convertibles specified selected matching-grain Goncalo Alves wood, but that was contractual. Hard to believe dyed wood laminates can be cheaper than molded plastic but at times the market says so. Altamont uses laminates currently because they are more stable (and repeatable) in CNC and laser-cutting machines, than most solid woods.

But also remember "Rosewood" is not a species, rather an industry collective term for over two dozen types/species of wood, including colors. Like "whitefish" applies to food that may or may not have had gills.

Also I'll opine the marketing emphasis is waning on single-action revolvers, albeit there is a constancy with some Ruger models. We'll see if its enough to prolong a wooden grip purchasing plan across the line... I hope so, because life is too short to shoot with plastic grips!

Say what you will about the laminated grips. ( I personally don't mind them until they are checkered).

Looks aside they are extremely rugged, and stable, and moisture resistant. Ruger makes working man's guns.